Two Oversight Officials Fired Hours After Pointing Out Anti-Police Bias In Chicago's Office Of Police Accountability
Two members of the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability were fired at the end of last month...immediately after they complained to the Inspector General about bias against police.
Matt Haynam, deputy chief administrator for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), responsible for investigating Chicago Police misconduct, was abruptly dismissed during a virtual meeting with COPA Chief Andrea Kersten and general counsel Robin Murphy, according to a report from Law Enforcement Today, citing the Chicago Sun Times.
Earning $163,068 annually, Haynam said he was given no explanation for his immediate termination. Within 90 minutes of the meeting, COPA employees arrived at his home to collect his city-issued car, computer, and phone.
Haynam said he received a text from supervising investigator Garrett Schaaf, who had been similarly fired. Schaaf, who earns $117,792 annually, declined to comment.
"I recently made a complaint to the [inspector general] directly and was let go today effective immediately and given no justification," Haynam said.
"I'm being fired because she [Kersten] is retaliating. There's not a performance issue or an issue with my skill level or technical ability, nor was I told there was. I've work[ed] there for seven years and been promoted four times. Yet after I make a complaint against Andrea, I'm fired without explanation? I haven't talked to her in over a month other than of her to fire me today," he continued.
He continued: "I could probably give you 20 people at COPA who would tell you the same thing. We have employees inside with spreadsheets tracking bias."
"We have quality managers who have met with Andrea and said, 'We have a real problem here.' Is there an issue? Yes. Enough people have been blowing the whistle that someone external to COPA has to either clear what's going on and say investigations are sound or they're not," he said.
The Law Enforcement Today report says Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling has criticized COPA investigations as unfair and "outcome-based," with Haynam agreeing and expressing distrust in the process.
However, COPA’s first deputy chief administrator, Ephraim Eaddy, refuted claims of anti-police bias, pointing out that only 14 percent of 2023 investigations resulted in sustained misconduct findings. Eaddy emphasized COPA's commitment to its responsibility in investigating complaints and serving the city.
Earlier this year, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) sued COPA Chief Andrea Kersten and her aides, accusing them of biased investigations and excessively harsh discipline on officers. FOP President John Catanzara argued that COPA had strayed from its mission, pushing a far-left agenda and unfairly targeting police officers.